King's College School (La Moraleja), rated 'Outstanding' by the British Government

King's College School, La Moraleja has been rated as “Outstanding” in every category by Penta International, a British Schools Overseas inspectorate body accredited by the British Government whose key purpose is to report to the English Department for Education (DfE) on the extent to which schools meet the standards for British Schools Overseas (BSOs). This inspection is a thorough external review by an independent organisation across a multitude of areas both in and around the school, from facilities to teaching and learning, as well as student support.

“King’s College School, La Moraleja is an Outstanding school. Due to an excellent curriculum delivered through high-quality teaching and robust assessment practices, academic standards are very high. The behaviour of pupils is excellent and standards of care for their health and well-being are exemplary. Leadership at all levels is reflective, and securely focused on continuous improvement in all areas”, highlights the report recently released by Penta International.

King’s College schools are one of the few schools in Spain that regularly undertake these external inspections which come accredited by the Department for Education (DfE) of the British Government. In fact, King’s College schools are the only schools in Madrid that currently hold the “Oustanding” or “Excellent” in every category award, which offer a British curriculum from 16 weeks to 18 years old. (Registration No’s 6099, 6039, 6040) The DfE has a set scheme standard for the inspection of British Schools Overseas whereby schools are analysed against a common set of goals.

The purpose of the inspection is to provide information to parents, teachers, senior leaders and the school’s management, on the overall effectiveness of the school, the standard of education it provides and its compatibility with independent schools in the United Kingdom.

The inspection and subsequent report cover the key areas of quality of the curriculum; quality and standard of teaching and learning; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; their welfare, health and safety; the suitability of the proprietor and staff; the school’s premises; and the complaints process and procedures. An essential part of the inspection is considering the extent to which the British character of the school is evident in its ethos, curriculum, teaching, care for pupils and pupils’ achievements.

“We are very proud to work in a school that has had three consecutive Inspections with Outstanding in all areas. We have incredible pupils and extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable and professional teachers. In our school, pupils are at the heart of everything that we do and that results in a transformative learning experience for all.” said June Donnan, Headteacher of King’s College School in La Moraleja.

This inspection of King’s College School, La Moraleja took place last November. During the inspection visit, over 50 lesson observations took place, as well as a series of learning walks. School documentation and policies were analysed and data reviewed. Pupils’ workbooks were scrutinised, and discussions were held with the senior staff, the management team, and a range of teachers, parents and groups of pupils.

Main highlights: King’s College School’s strengths

The resulting report elaborated by Penta International, highlights as the school's strengths “The pupils, who are courteous, well-behaved, eager to learn, confident and excellent ambassadors for their school”, as well as the “leadership provided by the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and other members of the Senior Leadership Team” and the “teaching body, who work tirelessly to give pupils learning experiences which engage, excite and enthuse, whilst ensuring high levels of progress and attainment.”

According to Penta, the school’s “ethos, culture and learning environment is warm and vibrant, enhancing pupils’ progress and social and emotional development” and the “activities, enrichment and enhancements to the curriculum which provide opportunities for pupils to develop interests, attitudes, knowledge, skills and understanding go beyond the formal curriculum.”

“An outstanding curriculum and good and outstanding teaching, combined with pupils’ excellent attitudes towards learning, results in high standards and strong attainment across the school”, concludes the report.

About King's College schools

Sir Roger Fry knighted in 2012 by Queen Elizabeth II for promoting British education internationally, founded the first King's College school in Madrid in 1969 and ever since the network of King’s College schools has now extended to a total of 10 schools in the UK, Spain (Madrid, Alicante, Murcia and Elche), Germany, Latvia and Panama.

All of the schools offer pupils a quality British education based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales, which emphasises strong academic values through hands-on learning. Pupils from the age of 16 weeks to 18 years old are taught by native and British trained teachers. The educational model of the schools is characterised by its rigorous and broad curriculum, its interdisciplinary approach and its emphasis on practical learning, exploration and the active participation of students.

In 2019, King’s College schools became members of Inspired, a leading global premium schools group operating in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, educating over 45,000 students across a global network of more than 65 schools.